Technical Terms
by drugged-on-chocolate
Summary: SemiSequel to 'First Name Basis'. Lily and James in the holidays the calm before the storm. JamesLily. PLease R


**AN: This is _sortofsequelly_** **thing. you Might understand it withtout reading _First Name Basis_ but I dunno...**

**Disclaimer: don't own it, **

* * *

The technical term, she supposed, would be the quiet before the storm. Sure her ex-classmates laughed now but she knew that when they got home wands would be out and doors would be locked. She turned to see James looking at her smiling goofily as Sirius patted him on the back and wolf whistles (no pun intended) escaped Remus. Peter, she noticed, wasn't anywhere to be seen. He'd disappeared from the station earlier with a man that looked quite a bit like him.

James waved as her sister yelled from the car "Come on _already!_" Lily laughed softly as she tugged her jacket around herself more tightly and stepped off the platform.

The ride home was riddled with questions about 'that boy you kissed', really it was as if they thought she'd never kissed anyone. True, she hadn't had as many 'conquests' as her sister – but they could at least…pretend. "His name is James, James Potter. He was head boy with me."

"You mean the one you'd write about? The…'arrogant' one?" Her mother - the ever so subtle.

"He isn't arrogant anymore," she smiled as Petunia kept stony silent. It wasn't a long way home and before she realised it her Dad was helping her take her trunk upstairs and kissing her forehead saying "we're so proud of you honey." She smiled and began to unpack. The door opened again and Petunia fell down on her bed careful not to touch anything that vaguely resembled Lily's world.

"Why would a rake like that Potter guy go out with you?"

Lily looked up struggling not to be riled by the comment. "Because, I'm stubborn and he's determined."

Petunia moaned and left her cryptic sister to unpack.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

James rolled his eyes and promised Sirius that yes – he would come over to the Potter place like he did every year and that yes – Remus would be there and no – he didn't know where his bag was. He smiled a small farewell to Remus and walked off with his parents who weren't smiling, instead they were hurrying. They didn't even ask him about Lily and he knew his mother was brimming with curiosity. Something was wrong.

They reached the portkey and arrived quickly at home but before he had a chance to unpack his parents told him to come and eat in the kitchen.

"James," his mother started, "you know that we have been long time supporters of Dumbledore don't you." James nodded as he drank some juice from the jug his mother promptly took from his hands – somethings never changed. His father's grey eyes looked tired and James knew he wasn't young – not even middle-aged but this threw him.

"James, you're going to have to leave here, we're going to fight with Albus."  
He nodded, the Gryffindor in him running to his trunk. "I suppose the cloak's a must. Any chance I could take my broom? It might be useful in a fight."

"James honey," his mother stopped him, "you can't come with us."

"Why not?"

His father sighed and hugged him close. James was scared it would be the last time he did. "Because, neither one of us could bare it if anything happened to you. You need to stay with a friend, but not Sirius or Remus."

"What?!"

"Their families are too well known, and Sirius's family…well the boys will meet you wherever you go."

James knew that this was the only thing he could do, he was going to fight, but sometimes avoidance is the greater part of valour…Dumbledore _must_ have said that.

"Your bag is in the hall," his mother said struggling to remain diplomatic, but they all knew the risks. Voldemort's strength is beyond anything they'd seen. She smiled ruefully at her son and enveloped him in her arms, "James, we're so very proud of you."

"Where are you going to go son?" his father asked him, "a muggle house would be best."

A muggle house. There was, _of course_, only one muggle house in his mind.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sirius reached the quiet row of houses first, shrugging a bag over his shoulders. Remus arrived next dropping to the middle of the road almost gracefully – he's always hated apparition. James tugged the invisibility cloak around his shoulders behind him intending to scare his friends but Remus merely smiled and helped him up from his crouched position. "If you didn't do it every time we met up, it'd be freaky." Sirius laughed and walked to the door before James could pull him back into the night.

"Sirius! It's 10 o'clock. They might be sleeping!"

"So?"

Remus stepped forward grabbing his friends shoulder. "Sirius! Get your arse back here. James should go first!" Sirius stumbled on the stairs giving James enough time to rush past him and quietly knock on the door. They should have been more mature with a war going on, but that was how these friends dealt with things – by making each other laugh. That's how most people deal with things when you come to think of it.

There were a few tense moments when Sirius was glaring at Remus who was looking darkly at the moon – true he was out of trouble, but there it was…waiting for him.

A woman with dull red hair – nothing on her daughter's – opened the door looking at the three young men standing on the doorstep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lily lay on her bed not really listening to the music her sister had playing loudly next door. It could be weeks, months before she heard from Dumbledore, even longer before she heard anything from _him._

"Lily!!!" a cry cut through her thoughts of black messy hair and hazel eyes.

She leapt off her bed and ran to the top of the stairs wand behind her back, "Wha-"

There he was, smiling apologetically as her Dad surveyed the others standing behind him. "James? What are you doing here? Nothing's happened has it? You're all ok? Dumbledore? Hagrid?"  
James ran halfway up the steps and cloaked her in his arms. "Nothing's happened yet," he whispered in her ear. He leant backwards and grinning impishly, "you said you might want to see me soon."

She raised and happy eyebrow, "technically yes, but in waking hours would be nice."

He kissed her forehead lightly, "you weren't asleep," he said simply, "your hair's still up." She smiled and went to hug Remus before asking them if they wanted a drink and telling her parents and sister they'd explain in a few seconds. Her parents didn't mind, they loved the intrusion, it was Petunia's steely glare that kept people away.

So, as Lily and James both stood in the kitchen – James making hot chocolate for himself and his friends 'his way' and Lily restricted to the microwave – they explained to Lily's parents who they were and why they were there. Lily tried to explain to her sister that there was a magical war going on, that she could be in danger, but she have none of it.

Her parents conceded to allow James, Sirius and Remus (who according to them was perfectly normal) sleep in the granny flat outside before tomorrow morning when they would reconsider.

Lily's Dad showed the boys the rooms leaving Lily, Petunia and their Mum in the kitchen.

"Lily, you are too stay in your room tonight, I hope you understand" Her Mum said.

Petunia scoffed before storming off into her room her call her latest boyfriend. Lily's Mum smiled sympathetically at her daughter as she kissed her goodnight and walked upstairs out of sight. She saw her Dad go in the backdoor and wander away silently, but not unhappily.

She took four mugs and filled them with more hot chocolate before taking a tray, some sandwiches and biscuits to the boys. Remus – she was positive – would have a supply of chocolate.

Sirius opened the door for her grabbing one of the mugs off her as she walked past mumbling a thankyou. Remus and James were in the living room , James was regarding the TV with interest while Remus looked quite comfortable reaching an old book her father had found him.

"I'm sorry it's so horrid in here, but there really is no room in the house."

"That's fine," James said pulling on her arm so she sat next o him, "We're leaving tomorrow."

She spun around so she was looking him in those hazel eyes, "What?"

"Joining Dumbledore."  
"He asked you?"

"Not technically," Remus admitted, "but that's only a minor, insignificant detail." James rolled his eyes as Lily smiled.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

She wouldn't come with him, James knew that, her parents didn't have a clue what was going on and her sister…well her sister needed her help whether she liked it or not. But for now he would just enjoy the feeling of Lily curled up next to him doing Lilyish things like worrying about Remus, rolling her eyes at Sirius and thinking – though she'd never admit it – on the fact that she was worried about Peter.

Sirius bounded into the room shrugging at the smoke billowing out behind him, both James and Lily sprang up, James to reprimand Sirius and Lily to put out the small fire in the oven.

"Well I wasn't supposed to know it blew up was I?"

"That's because usually ovens don't blow up. Jeez Padfoot, you're a guest here. How do you think Mr and Mrs Evans will react to us and our entire world in general if you blow up their house?"

Sirius shrugged as they heard shouting from outside, Lily came in to ask them to pipe down to which Sirius replied that is 'wasn't them!'

"Who's that?" Remus said still sitting in a comfy chair and not particularly inclined to leave it, especially since he could see outside the window from here.

"I'm _not_ sleeping in the same place as people like _that!_"

"I'm sorry Vern, but if you want to stay here you'll have to."

"I don't want to stay, I would go home!"

"Vernon, you made me come out here and if we go home now Mum'll _definitely_ kill us."

"Shut up Rodger"

"Why'd you have to bring your brother?"

"He saw me leave."

The wire door screeched open as a large bowling-ball-shaped-man stumbled through the door.

"Vernon!" Lily exclaimed indicating to both Sirius and Remus to hit their wands. James merely looked on the figure with contempt.

"Please don't tell me that's Petunia's boyfriend?"

Lily nodded regarding the smaller bowling-ball-man with curiosity, "and Rodger?"

"Brother?"

"Vernon's, not mine."  
They nodded and waited for Petunia to step through the door in a little black dress clutching a purse. "If Mum and Dad find out-" Lily began.

"I'll tell them that Vernon's here to protect me from your lot."

Lily looked at her sister, horror clouding her face and then looked at Vernon smiling at Remus who looked sickly at the best of times. "You _told_ him?"

"What…was it supposed to be this secret Lily club? With her adoring fans and body guards?"

"I can fight well enough on my own thank you very much."

"Oh, I bet you can with your little twig and everything."

James placed a hand on Lily's shoulder and pointed to the door, "come on, I think it's time to go."

"Go?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, you and Moony go to sleep in the back room, Lily go back to the house. Vernon and Rodger can share the second bedroom and I'll take the couch."

Needless to say there were protests but it got done eventually with Petunia being taken by Lily up to the house leaving the boys to go to sleep. Vernon argued about being 'controlled by one of them' but Rodger – it seemed – was the voice of reason and convinced his brother to at least go into the bedroom.

They slept, none would venture to say peacefully, but they all slept.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

James woke up to someone rapping at the front door, "god if it's Petunia I'll…" he didn't get a chance to finish that thought as he saw Lily standing in front of him, a glove – clad hand covering her screams.

"Come outside," a voice commanded. Before he could do anything however, James tripped over a chair lying in the middle of the room swearing loudly.

The gloved hand stopped for a minute obviously worried that someone had heard, nobody came running though, no shouts resounded, nothing save the howls of a dog somewhere in the distance. Lily's eyes bore into his but as much as he wished to, he couldn't focus on them. His attention was grasped by another young woman running through the garden in what could only just be called a nightgown.

Lily followed his gaze or tried to from her vantage point. Her green eyes flashed with shock at her sister running towards them.

Petunia took no notice of them, as the gloved hand pointed at her. She kept running despite the flashes of green light that barely missed her. Someone met her at the door, she pushed past them and another green flash of light bounded off a wall. The round figure at the door was joined by another. James struggled to free Lily who bit the hand that held her silent. The figure howled in pain as tooth met flesh and bone.

He sent a green flash at the doorway no longer aiming at all. There was a minute or two of utter silence and then one word echoed through the streets as the cowardly death eater disappeared.

"Rodger!"

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Sirius and Remus reached the doorway having been awoken by the chair and curses to be held up by a bowling ball – Vernon. Who's face had turned red with rage, his features contorted and obscure.

Petunia's tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at the figure on the ground. His confused dead eyes shut by a concerned James.

James knelt at the body not sure what to do. He'd closed the eyes, and thanked Rodger, for letting them in. He'd apologised to the corpse for being him into a world that he knew nothing about, until Vernon dropped Sirius and Remus who sank to the couch and took James up by the scruff of his shirt.

"Get out," he hissed, "you do not belong her."  
Lily rushed to set him down before getting ready to defend them all.

"No Lil," James had to say wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he pulled himself up. "He's right, we're wizards in a war and we should be there…fighting that war. Sirius, Remus and I will get our things and go. You stay here, protect your parents. I'll come back, I promise." He kissed her on the forehead and went into the backroom with his friends before taking their bags and leaving in silence. But not before Remus stopped and looked at Lily saying "tell your parents…tell them we said thanks. And that we are very sorry about Rodger. He was good."

Lily nodded and watched as they walked across the lawn and turned down the street to walk to Kings Cross Station – they were too tired to apparate.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Petunia looked at her sister in contempt, "freaks should travel in packs anyway." She turned her back on her sister and walked out, Vernon followed her tears softly flowing down his angry face. She was right Lily realised.

She ran back up to the house passing Petunia and Vernon before going into the kitchen where her mother and father stood shocked and still.

"Mum, Dad?" Lily walked into the kitchen slowly where her parents stood shocked still.

Upon hearing her voice they turned around, her mother hesitated only a moment before wrapping her arms around her daughter. "Mum, I have to go." Lily coughed holding back most emotion.

"I know," her mother said as her Dad kissed her on the cheek.

"We're proud of you," he said slowly, "So…so proud." She hugged him tightly before walking out the front door promising to come back.

She caught up with the boys after a few moments and walking behind them she coughed quietly.

"Um, guys? Kings Cross Station is the other way." James laughed before spinning around and lifting her into the air.

"Us freaks should travel in packs," Lily laughed making a joke out of her torment.

James understood, "determined, stubborn, maraudering freaks."

Sirius laughed and Remus smiled as they made their way through the streets of London arm in arm and hand in hand.


End file.
